.:What about debt free living...?:.

 

 

There is one thing I would like to write about today... One thing that has touched our life a great deal in the last two years.  One thing that I am passionate about...One thing that people don`t really often talk about but something I think should be talk about more because there are so many people affected by it...  That thing is DEBT.

Last 2008, Ken`s job position has been cut off.  The year after, our family income was cut in half.  He then decided to go to university and for the next 2 year, we lived as university students with a family of 5.

It was tough... especially to change the lifestyle we where used to have. 

As you can imagine, with a family of 5 there was a lot of "emergencies" and guess what... our normal thought was that we had no choice than to use the credit card and to repay it when we could...  But that didn`t work out...

On March 2012, for Ken`s birthday, I bought  the book The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey.   After reading it together we decided  that we wanted to become debt free.

This was a huge step for us and this meant a lot of sacrifices, but the Bible verse "The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender" really gripped our heart and we knew that this is what we wanted and needed to do.

The first step was to cut our credit cards...which we happily did... Second was to do a budget plan and put $1000 aside for the emergencies, and 3 was to attack those debt with intensity which we DID!

Together we sat down and we did a budget.  I have to say that we had to do this several time until we did it right but it was worth it.  This meant deciding how much we had to put aside for the Lord, groceries, clothes etc. every pay.  We started to use the Envelope system and pay cash for everything.   That meant that when the clothing envelope was empty, we had to wait until the next pay to buy an item...

  All the little extra we had, we dump it on the debts. When we had our income tax refund, we didn`t buy a new couch with it... we dumped it on the debts...

 

 It meant that if we earned a little bit of extra money, we didn`t went to the restaurant with it.. No!  We dumped it on the debts...  and when Ken worked very hard and brought in extra money, we didn`t plan a vacation with it... No!  We dumped it on the debts.  It means driving an old car and putting money aside to buy one cash.  It means saying no to Tim Horton`s coffee every day... If you can understand this saying....  We said NO to wants and YES to needs.  Because there is a difference between wants and needs.

We started to pay the little amounts first and then attacked the big ones.  When one amount was paid, we put the extra money from that payment on the next amount.  It kind of did like a snowball effect.

Guess what...?  After a while, slowly but surely, this huge mountain called debt started to melt...  One goal was met and then another one...  When one goal was met, we put that extra money on the next one and on and on...

We lived and are still living on a very tight budget and it is sometimes hard, but with God`s help, we can now say that we are very close to our goal of being debt free except our home mortgage. This means no car loan, no student debts, no credit cards debts...We are so excited!!  Paying off the mortgage will be included in our next goal which is baby step 4,5 & 6 in the Dave Ramsey`s method.

The reason why I decided to write about this today is because sometimes, I am wondering if there is other families in the same situations...  Other families that are struggling with having more months at the end of the pay.  We want to encourage you and tell you that with the help of God, there is a way out.  For this you will have to to say No to "wants" and get intense.   There is a lot of other families on the same path to freedom.  We are here to testify that it works and we would be very happy to help you if ever you need someone to talk.

Get started with Dave Ramsey`s Budgeting Money Makeover  here. 
Get coaching everyday  Here
The book is sold  Here (We bought it at Chapters)

Blessings,

Nancy

 

.:I am in need of a heart transplant every day:.

Yesterday, I've got a message from Halifax, to let us know that Aaron's files where officially  send to the Sikkids Hospital in Toronto.  That is where we are going to see the doctor.  

 That is a great blessing! 

Last week, we received an email from the Doctor telling us that he will contact us for an appointment as soon as he get Aaon's files.

Here's a video about Sickkids...

There was a message in my inbox this morning... It came from a mother's heart.  She is also part of the Cardiomyopathy Foundation's connect group.  Yet I don't know her personally,  I felt compelled to meet her and give her a hug.  Her message went directly to my heart.  She has experienced real trials, real sufferings but, today, she has encouraged me greatly  and reached my heart without knowing it.  Here's what her message said...

I am a mommy to four sweet blessings. (We had a fifth who did not receive a heart transplant in time.) Our youngest is a heart transplant recipient. We school them at home, and I feel stretched pretty thin at times. There have been many times in hospital rooms, and at home, when I just don't feel like I can make it. 

Forgive me, but I must share my heart, unashamedly, however politically incorrect.
( If God is offensive to you, you might want to delete this now. I think that most parents in our positions are past worrying about that silliness like that anyway. ) Living with life and death struggles
every day can make us understand that there is someone bigger than us holding us up. I am in
need of a heart transplant every day.

Spiritually speaking, I have a weak, sick, worn out heart,
and I am in need of a replacement daily in order to have the
strength and health to face the day, and care for my precious family. Luckily, the very
  God who created me is in the business of heart transplants. And He renews me continually.

 Our lives can be so overwhelming. They can feel isolated and lonely. They can be scary and uncertain. They can hurt-indescribable hurt that can threaten to crush the very will
out of us. But God does mercifully provide above and beyond  what we desperately
  need not just to survive it, but to live it richly! In daily spending time with Him through His Word in Bible reading and prayer He fills me, comforts me, strengthens me, instructs me, renews me. Whether we received the physical heart transplants we prayed for or not, He has faithfully renewed my spiritual heart and filled it with joy that blankets every detail of the life He has put me here to live. (Ezekiel 11:19 And
  I will give them one heart, and
  I will put a new spirit within you;
  and I will take the stony heart out
  of their flesh, and will give them  an heart of flesh:) 

He has given me rock solid security in His love for me, and
His faithfulness to plan every detail of my life for my
ultimate good. I need not question His wisdom in taking my children home, or in sending illness into our lives. He owes me no explanations, but  He has graciously proven His goodness to us through every moment. He has turned tears of despair into tears of joy, He has turned doubt into trust and security, meaningless into purpose, confusion into understanding.

 So my priority in caring for myself every day is above all else, to spend time with the Loving Father who  both created me and sustains me. This is more important than any of the other good things I can do for myself. Before I exercise, feed or rest my body, I exercise, feed, and rest my spiritual heart. Before I look to the wonderful family, friends, and care givers that He  has provided for support, I go right to the source, God Himself. ( Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.) (2 Peter 1:3 According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness,
through the knowledge if Him that hath called us to glory and virtue. )

 I cannot put my kids first unless I have put our Father even before them. He does not take my attention from them, He enables them to selflessly serve my family. He does not require me to give to them until I am empty, He calls me to be filled to overflowing with His boundless riches that I can then be poured out for them-without ever being empty!

 (Isaiah 55:1-2 Ho, every one that thirsted, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money: come ye, buy, an eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore
do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfied not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.) I don't believe it was any mistake that God called Jesus "The Bread of Life",  and "Living Water". It is because He knows we need Him more desperately than we need even physical provision.

 I have no intentions of preaching,

I humbly and prayerfully share my "tip" in hopes that someone
will be encouraged and strengthened in the same way that He
does for me. If God has filled you, I would love to hear
how. 

 Amanda

Have a great day!

Blessings,

Nancy

.:Little blessings:.

Every single day, there are little blessings that makes me happy all around the house...
Those little blessings are small but touches my heart every time I see them.
They come from somebody that loves aqua...

 
And pink...

 
This somebody likes to put little notes everywhere...

 
at different places...

 
On the mirrors...

 
In the bathrooms...

 
At the kitchen sink window...

 
They are full of happiness...

 
Full of sweetness...

 
Full of love...

 
And full of hope...

 
Yes, I love those sweet blessings...

 
They make me happy and...

 
Always reminds me that God loves me and that he will take care of us every single day.

 

.:Today:.

::It's not always easy...

This week we had to bring Aaron to the emergency room.
After being seen by the nurse at the front desk,  they rushed him in the trauma room.  We where following them but they told us to stay in another little room until they had finish doing tests and put the IV line.  That part was not easy.  I didn't like it. I was nervous.  I was so glad my best friend was there... my dear husband who is there anytime, all the time, with a smile and a hug.

It's not always easy, especially when the specialist called me yesterday morning to tell me that now, they think it's not Myocarditis but Dilated Cardiomyopathy.  That was not easy.  I did not like that.

It was hard, I had a cry, I had to take it in, to process it in my brain.

It was hard, but then, I had to come to the conclusion that yes it's hard but...
I can't drag myself  TODAY or every day, when TODAY is a good day...
When the sun is shining and the colors outside are gorgeous,
When TODAY Aaron is feeling good and we can sing together at the table after supper.
I have to be happy every minute I can.
I have to thank God for the blessings he gives me
Things could be worst, yes, but TODAY it's ok and I have to appreciate it. 
 

 

 

 

 
At the same minute I'm writing this, I hear my big boy downstairs singing out loud with his big voice.  This put  a smile on my face :-)   I love to hear him sing and sing with him.  It's one of my favorite thing to do.

Hope you are all having a great weekend!
Blessings,
Nancy

.:Wandering thoughts:.

::Not much today...
Well...
I stayed beside Keila  almost all morning while she was studying about water, water's polarity, polar molecules and nonpolar molecules... 
She also did Maths, Bible and Spanish.
We ate caramel and cheese popcorn... yes, caramel and cheese popcorn... They are actually addictive!!  You know, the one from Costco...  Next time you go to Costco, look in everyone's cart and I am positively sure that you will see everybody with one, two or three bags of those in it :-)

Ok, now, I have to admit...
I've always tried to find positive blessings in each simple day because it makes me happy but lately...
I don't know why but it's kind 'a hard for me...
Last night, has I lay in my bed wondering about this problem, my thoughts returned to the doctors office on the 27th of November.  I can remember still hearing the doctor telling us all about Aaron's MRI results.  I remember how I was trying to pretend I was strong when I wasn't strong at all.  I remember how my brain got frozen and I can't remember much after that.  Oh... I can remember walking to the car, I remember the parking ticket, I remember trying not to cry because my big guy was with us.
I remember listening to the hymn "How deep the father`s love for us" twice.  I remember crying to God and letting the tears go down hoping my big boy in the back wouldn`t see me.
It`s hard.
Life is hard, it`s sometimes very hard
This time, I feel somebody killed my dream.

Suddenly...
Blessings upon blessings started to fall on us.
It was so overwhelming I still can`t understand
Messages from kind Christians, support from friends and family, calls from doctors...
This had to be from the Lord.

Have you ever felt your blessings where bigger than your sorrow?
This is how I felt one morning lying on my bed wondering why God was doing that to me.
I came to the conclusion that it was probably not because of me  but because of Aaron.
Because he was special.
God knows what he`s doing.
He perfectly has a plan for everyone of us.
I know that for sure, it`s just, today...
It`s hard.

It`s not always like that thought.  Some days are good, some days are bad.

This morning, Aaron was not feeling well
This is one of those days when I feel worried.

I will find things to be thankful for today...

The bright sunny sky
The red maple trees around our house
My beautiful family
The gorgeous colors of Fall
Friends

Hope you're all having a great day!
Blessings,
Nancy

PS: In case you think my writing sometimes sounds kind 'a strange.... I`m a French girl still learning English :-)
You can visit our French blog here.